God, I hate writing these kinds of stories. There's something so deeply depressing about watching small businesses fold - especially the good ones that actually deserved to make it.
Street Urchin in Manchester's Ancoats district just announced they're shutting down after six years, and I'm genuinely gutted about it. The place has been a staple since 2019 when Kevin and Rachel Choudhary opened what they called their "English Market Diner" - a description that honestly never quite captured teh magic of what they were doing there.
When a Heart Stops the Kitchen
Yesterday Rachel dropped the bomb on social media that Kevin (her husband and the head chef) had suffered a heart attack. She assured everyone he's "recovering (slowly)" but made it clear they simply can't keep the business running under these circumstances.
"We are heartbroken," she wrote.
I actually visited Street Urchin back in 2021 with my partner. We'd been arguing all day about something completely stupid (probably about whether we should get a dog - spoiler alert: we didn't), and that meal somehow fixed everything. There's something about truly excellent food that makes petty arguments dissolve.
The Rayner Seal of Approval
If you know anything about food critics, you know Jay Rayner doesn't hand out compliments like candy. The man has destroyed restaurants with a single paragraph. So when he described Street Urchin as a place "where nice things happen" and admitted the menu left him "dribbling," that's basically like winning a Michelin star in critic-speak.
I interviewed a chef once who told me he'd rather face Gordon Ramsay on a bad day than get a negative Rayner review. Poor guy was sweating just talking about it.
Wait... they served WHAT?!
Let's talk about that squirrel dish for a sec. Yes, SQUIRREL. The restaurant actually made headlines across the Atlantic when they put "crispy buttermilk wild grey squirrel" on their menu for £22.50. Rachel insisted it wasn't some publicity stunt but actually about sustainability.
Would I have ordered it? Probably not. Am I slightly fascinated? Absolutely.
Some folks online were predictably horrified, begging the restaurant to "leave the squirrels alone" and referring to it as "creamy rodent stew." I mean... they're not wrong.
The Heartbreak is Real
The response to the closure announcement has been overwhelming. One of their meat suppliers wrote: "So pleased we had the chance to visit and eat with you and also supply your wonderful restaurant over the last 4 years. Wishing Kev a full recovery and for you, Rachel, to take time to heal too. Take your time, this isn’t the last chapter."
Another customer didn't hold back: "Without exaggeration, I can say that this was the best restaurant in Manchester."
And someone named Phil summed it up perfectly: "This is devastating news, you worked so hard to build that business, and it was always top notch, wishing you both good vibes. Please bring your talents back one day, it’s a public service."
More Than Just Plants and Pretty Plates
Rayner actually gave special mention to the restaurant's "exuberant foliage" - which sounds like such a Rayner thing to notice. But beyond the hanging plants and aesthetic, he praised the "cheerful tumble of great ingredients" and the restaurant's "distinct pulse" at a time when many fine dining spots had become "sterile" after COVID.
The son of a fisherman, Kev brought authentic seafood knowledge to dishes like panko cuttlefish nicoise and king scallops. He also ventured into veal strip loin and banh xeo pancakes.
I spent $180 there last year for my anniversary dinner. Worth every penny.
Another One Bites the Dust
This closure hits different. It wasn't due to rising costs or lack of customers or any of the usual suspects. Sometimes life just throws a curveball that nobody could prepare for.
Here's hoping Kevin makes a full recovery.
And honestly? I'm hoping they find a way to come back someday. Manchester's dining scene just lost one of its brightest stars.
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